1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a framing hammer for use by carpenters, and more particularly to devices for holding nails to the hammer head while they are being started for driving into place in relatively inaccessible locations.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Framing hammers have heretofore been provided with tapered slots into which the head of the nail can be fitted with the nail protruding laterally from the hammer head so the nail can be started into the wood with the hammer held in one hand.
The previously known hammers of this type fall into two categories. In the first group, the nail holding grooves are incorporated into a specially formed hammer head. This is expensive and impractical be cause framing hammer heads are usually drop forged and the tapered slots can be provided only by expensive machining, if at all. Typical of this first category are the hammers disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,227,455, issued to John Thorne Lane; U.S. Pat. No. 1,411,567, issued Apr. 4, 1922 to C. H. Fisher ; and U.S. Pat. No. 825,560, issued Jul. 10, 1906 to James H. Smith.
The second category of prior patents removably attaches a separate clip to the hammer head to provide the tapered grooves. These devices are not satisfactory because they are too weak to withstand the repeated pounding of the hammer and are likely to come loose and be lost Typical of this second category of prior hammers are those found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,107, issued Jan. 17, 1989 to Thomas Furey; U.S. Pat. No. 2,722,251, issued Nov. 1, 1955 to S. S Dillon ; U.S. Pat. No. 2,652,0S2, issued Sep. 15, 1953 to Albert P. Zanelli; U.S. Pat. No. 2,599,651, issued Jun. 10, 1952 to Louis A. McClung; U.S. Pat. No. 2,542,603, issued Feb. 20, 1951 to Lloyd R. Watters et al.
The above-listed patents are believed to be relevant to the present invention because they were adduced by a prior art search made by an independent searcher, and a copy of each of the above-listed patents is supplied to the patent and Trademark Office herewith.